The Los Angeles Lakers (10-4) will try to extend their six-game winning streak when they host the Orlando Magic (9-7) on Thursday night. Los Angeles has won its last four games by six points or fewer, including a 124-118 win over Utah on Tuesday. Orlando had its six-game winning streak snapped in a 104-93 loss to the Clippers on Wednesday as it prepares to wrap up its three-game road trip. These teams split the season series last year, with both contests taking place within the first two weeks of the campaign.
Tipoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Lakers are favored by 4.5 points in the latest Lakers vs. Magic odds, while the over/under is 216.5 points, per SportsLine consensus. Before entering any Magic vs. Lakers picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past six-plus seasons. The model enters Week 5 of the 2024-25 NBA season on a sizzling 109-74 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning more than $3,000. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Los Angeles vs. Orlando. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for Magic vs. Lakers:
Lakers vs. Magic spread: Lakers -4.5
Lakers vs. Magic over/under: 216.5 points
Lakers vs. Magic money line: Lakers: -199, Magic: +166
Lakers vs. Magic picks: See picks at SportsLine
Lakers vs. Magic streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why the Lakers can cover
Los Angeles has surged to third place in the Western Conference standings with its current six-game hot streak, trailing only the Warriors and Thunder. The Lakers are coming off a 124-118 win over Utah on Tuesday, powered by a rookie record-tying nine 3-pointers from Dalton Knecht. He hit triples on four consecutive possessions in the third quarter, scoring 21 points in the period.
Knecht has been outstanding since joining the starting lineup four games ago, averaging 24.3 points per game while drilling 21 3-pointers on just 31 attempts. The Lakers are off to a 7-0 start at home and are one of three teams in the NBA without a loss at home. Anthony Davis leads the team with 30.7 points and 11.4 rebounds, while LeBron James is averaging 23.5 points, 9.4 assists and 8.1 rebounds. See which team to pick here.
Why the Magic can cover
Orlando was able to stay in the Los Angeles area after losing to the Clippers on Wednesday, softening the blow of having to play back-to-back road games. The Magic had their six-game winning streak come to an end in that outing, but they have still been impressive even with Paolo Banchero sidelined due to an oblique injury. They held all of their opponents under 100 points during the hot streak, while second-year guard Anthony Black has five double-digit scoring games in his last eight contests.
He had a team-high 17 points on Wednesday and a season-high 20 points in a win over Phoenix on Monday to kickstart the three-game road trip. Black also has 17 assists over his last two games, providing a spark with Banchero sidelined. The Magic have covered the spread in six of their last seven games, while the Lakers have only covered three times in their last 10 games. See which team to pick here.
How to make Lakers vs. Magic picks
The model has simulated Magic vs. Lakers 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in almost 70% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.